Christians: Say you go to heaven, and one of the people you meet is the soldier that personally nailed Christ to the cross. Your response?

"Hallelujah!" Followed by, "Were you the Centurion soldier in charge, who realized when Jesus died that He truly was the Son of God?"

I refer to the gospel account about that. Remember, Jesus asked the Father to forgive those who had crucified them, "They know not what they do." That would be proof that Jesus' prayer was answered! Amazing grace!

That Jesus asked God to forgive them before His death on the cross does not necessarily guarantee that the soldier would be saved on the day of judgement.

Salvation is still contingent on his ability to satisfy the conditions stated in Matthew 22:37-40, Mark 12:30-31 and Luke 10:27.

You seem to think that Jesus asking God to forgive His enemy is assured guarantee that he would go to heaven. Not so - because everyone without exception must satisfy All the conditions stipulated by the new covenant of Jesus Christ in order to be saved - hence, Matthew 22:37-40, Mark 12:30-31, Luke 10:27 and 1 John 3:15.

Luke 23:34 is no guarantee that this person would be saved without God's mercy - and Mercy is graced undeserved, which will be given or denied according to your works. As each person will be judged by their works, good or bad.

Ultimately, you are saved not by your works, but by God who has mercy - as your works could never suffice for your sins (debt) to be written off.

"What's up?"

Is there a problem here? Wasn't it part of the plan for Jesus to be crucified in order to save humanity? Did Jesus resist arrest? Did he not know about this?

I mean...I'm going to hell according to Christians, but I don't see why there would be any hostility towards him.

If the soldier is in heaven he belongs in heaven. My response? Zip my lips.

When we're forgiven, aren't our sins put far away from us? How would I know what he'd done? Why would I need to? Would he know my sins?

I'd simply look on him as my brother.

"Nice to meet you" ?

What are you looking for? I'm pretty sure God's ability to judge is superior to mine (and yours). If someone is in heaven, I have no authority to object, and neither do you.

“supernovamike11”, the people you will meet in the New Jerusalem will all be “born again,” redeemed, sanctified, and saved. There will be no one there to promote deceit, or tell lies. To describe life in heaven once formal judgment is concluded, or to detail the course of life for the living upon the earth made new, substance from the makeup of divinity and the operations of GOD that establish a new creation must come into view. In addition to inseparable aspects of the full GODhead (e.g., faith, forgiveness, holiness, joy, oneness, person, purity, wisdom, wrath against sin), one must realize contributions by the blood, body, and indwelling Spirit of Jesus Christ. In many instances, sacred knowledge will overshadow and completely replace secular knowledge. Eternal purposes will have priority above appetite, sensation, and emotion/mental functions (e.g., anger, fear, guilt, imagination, recall) seen as the imperatives generated by flesh. Content and focus for life experience will not be structured according to present frameworks of confession, mortality, time, and space. Those who are saved will be immortal and incorruptible. The features that now serve as history (repeated cycles, patterns, and sequences that make “the past” knowable, and that allow forecast and projections to describe “the future”) will not have the same importance, or usefulness. In the social routines of eternal life, the living will share mutual acceptance, approval, respect, and trust. There will be direct communication, exchange, fellowship and interaction with divinity. Such features as cultural arrogance, bias, envy, malice, prejudice, racism, and suspicion will not exist. There will be reminders and personal testimonies of the divine work accomplished on behalf of all Creation, and of the life that once existed in the universe (e.g., the nail-prints and scars that will appear in the body of Jesus Christ). Even so, there will be no boasting, bragging, or swapping tales of ones former crimes and sins. Consider how some of this is stated using language from the Bible:

(1.) Nahum 1: 7-10, King James Version (KJV): 7 The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. 8 But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies. 9 What do ye imagine against the Lord? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time. 10 For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.

(2.) Malachi 4: 1-3, KJV: 1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.

(3.) Romans 6: 20-23, KJV: 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

There is far more to be said, carefully examined, and spiritually understood. (For example, (4.) Revelation 21: 3-5, KJV: 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX

Washington, DC

How come you're in heaven and not in hell?

Well, Jesus said: (Father forgive them, for they know not what they do).

If Jesus forgave them, then should we not forgive them?

"If I were there, I would probably have nailed Jesus too."